Black Eye on Malaysia

[Dashken]

As the new year unfolded, another massive landmark was unveiled in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 6, which the government hoped could be a star attraction to the tourists who come visiting during this Visit Malaysia Year.

The Eye on Malaysia is a 60-metre high ferris wheel located along the lake in Taman Tasik Titiwangsa in the capital city. Modelled after the London Eye, the local version came at a cost of RM30 million to set up.

Pride was resonating throughout the national media.

Comprising of 42 gondolas, the giant plaything would allow visitors to experience a 360-degree panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur during a 12-minute ride that goes 60 metres high. Tickets are priced at RM15 for adults and RM12 for children.

It is expected to be around until the end of the Visit Malaysia Year campaign next August.

The Tourism Ministry had high hopes to rake in the tourist ringgit through the Eye on Malaysia. It hoped to see long queues of visitors waiting eagerly to jump into the sky-gondola rides.

Anticipating big business, the ministry even 'privatised' the running of the Eye on Malaysia, giving it to a newly formed company called MST Ad Suria Sdn Bhd, which is a subsidiary of Ad Suria, an event management company formed in 2004.

The subsidiary company was specifically set up to handle the overall operations of the ferris wheel.

However eight months since its official launch, the long queues expected by the ministry are missing.

Apart from the initial euphoria and excitement, the visitors have avoided the Eye on Malaysia, causing potential embarrassment and financial worries for the ministry and the private company.

One foreign tourist even told malaysiakini that the Eye had "nothing special".

A bailout at work?

Now new facts have emerged that the Tourism Ministry and MST Ad Suria are trying to revitalise the Eye on Malaysia.

The plan is simple - the ministry buys thousands of tickets from the private company to be distributed for free. In other words, the ministry is bailing out MST Ad Suria.

Sources have told malaysiakini that tickets worth RM5.7 million have been snapped up by the ministry from the private company.

"500,000 tickets are there sitting in the ministry. The amount sums up to RM5.7 million of taxpayers' money. The ministry is giving them (MST Ad Suria) easy money," sources said.

"The Eye on Malaysia is not really making money," the source added.

"That's why the ministry has to 'help'. The ministry will not look as bad if the flop is covered up."

Conflicting statements

When contacted, MST Ad Suria executive chairman Adam Yong Abdullah and his colleague Jamilah Itam, the business director with the company, claimed that business was good.

Adam however admitted that there were talks with the ministry for the sale of tickets worth RM5.7 million from his company, but "nothing ever came out of it".

Malaysiakini's ministry sources however were adamant that money has been paid for the tickets and that the 500,000 tickets were lying in the ministry.

When Adam was asked to explain this, he replied, “I don’t know about this. Maybe they printed it out on their own. But if they did, the tickets will not be valid. The bar codes on the tickets must first be verified by our system before it is ready.”

The ministry sources also revealed that 55,000 of the tickets were waiting to be shipped to China for promotional purposes.

Malaysiakini tried contacting the relevant people with the ministry for explanation but there was no response from them.

Nothing special

A visit to Taman Tasik Titiwangsa also revealed that there were more curious watchers than earnest riders at the Eye on Malaysia.

"I have been on one in United Arab Emirates. There is nothing special about this Eye," said Hisham Koprulu, an Iraqi tourist who is residing in Dubai.

There were no other tourists or locals on sight when malaysiakini visited the Eye yesterday evening.

Even the staff manning the ticketing counter looked dispirited.

"It is fairly slow nowadays. It will be crowded on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays but the rest would be just like this (pointing to the somewhat empty space)," said a staff.

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/71028

[PsYkHoTiK]

Well I don't think wastes of money are supposed to actually be making them right.

[Adrian Wong]

It's not a unique affair TBH. The Brits have already done it earlier and on a grander scale. I think our government is still stuck with Dr. M's megalomania.

But seriously, this is yet another mistake and bailout by our government. Nothing special, unfortunately. So many mistakes, so much money wasted.

[Chai]

There's really nothing special about this. I went there once and took some photos. I never even bother to get a ride.

[zy]

tourist will look at it as a copycat... hahahha

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by zy

tourist will look at it as a copycat... hahahha

It is a copycat project.

[Falcone]

Hahaha when I was in London I didn't even bothered take a ride in the London Eye, where it's much grand, better location (it's right beside Thames river and at the the heart of London). When I was around Eye of Malaysia, it's just so depressing....I wouldn't go even if it's free

[Dashken]

There's no innovation in Malaysia. Even our own Proton has to copy from other cars. And then it has no more ideas and had to copy itself and add a rear to it and makes it into a 'new' car.

Look at all the reality shows, all copied. Some even so much worse than the original.

[zy]

Originally Posted by Dashken

There's no innovation in Malaysia. Even our own Proton has to copy from other cars. And then it has no more ideas and had to copy itself and add a rear to it and makes it into a 'new' car.

Look at all the reality shows, all copied. Some even so much worse than the original.

Malaysia, the land of no originality. everything also copy. CD also copy

[green]

Hey is this true. I hv been waiting for the q to go b4 going and taking a ride. Don't be a cheapo it is only rm15. By the way why don't you create something original instead of griping about other people....don't waste your life